>X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Venezuelan President Chavez Gets Decree Powers >http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-venezue.html > >November 7, 2000 >By REUTERS >Filed at 3:38 p.m. ET > >CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's government-dominated National >Assembly gave President Hugo Chavez unprecedented powers on Tuesday >to decree a plethora of new laws, amid opposition claims that he >has amassed dictatorial powers. > >The so-called Enabling Law, approved in a final discussion on >Tuesday, gives Chavez power to press ahead with his self-styled >``democratic revolution'' in the world's No. 3 oil exporter. > >The left-leaning former paratrooper can now enact dozens of laws -- >in areas ranging from oil to banking and bureaucracy -- for a year >without any parliamentary debate. > >``It is a subtle means of concentrating power with this huge law >that affects almost every activity,'' said Cesar Perez, a deputy >with opposition party COPEI. > >Elected in a landslide 1998 victory, Chavez has used his first two >years in power to rewrite the constitution, purge the judiciary, >dissolve an opposition-controlled congress and replace it with a >government-dominated one through fresh elections. > >The failed coup leader maintains near-fanatical support with his >fiery nationalistic rhetoric, promising that state intervention and >social justice will raise living standards for the majority of >Venezuelans who live in poverty. > >UNPRECEDENTED POWERS > >Enabling laws are not uncommon in this South American nation and >have been used by governments in the past to speed through >financial legislation to deal with economic crises. > >But political analysts and opposition politicians said the scope of >the powers obtained by Chavez was unprecedented and undermined the >assembly, which saw its senate removed last year by Chavez-led >reforms. > >Even without the law, the governing alliance could have pushed >legislation through the assembly with its 60 percent majority. > >``It is one more instance of a worrying trend toward >authoritarianism,'' said Toby Bottome, editor of the local >Veneconomy newsletter. > >Chavez has argued that the law will relieve some of the assembly's >heavy workload created by the need to adapt the country's legal >framework to a new constitution approved in a referendum last >December. > >In its request for the powers, the government stated it was needed >``to create conditions for the competitive development of >productive sectors within the framework of a new economic and >social development model.'' > >NEW HYDROCARBONS LAW > >Legislators do not know exactly what laws will be decreed under the >powers, because the government has only outlined six broad areas: >financial sector; industry and agriculture; infrastructure; >personal and legal security; science and technology; and the public >sector. > >In the key oil sector, the government plans to decree a new >hydrocarbons law to replace the 1943 text, which will raise >royalties levied on oil production and reduce income tax. > >The new rules will not affect billion-dollar deals already signed >with foreign oil companies, but those investors will be encouraged >to switch to the new regime with promises of more business >opportunities in the future. > >Among the stated aims of the reforms are to encourage greater >efficiency in the financial sector, improve credit access for >farmers and small businesses and give the autonomous Banking >Superintendency greater powers to regulate and even intervene in >banks. > >The modernization of government statistics gathering, legislation >covering electronic commerce, new regulations for the state >bureaucracy, environmental protection legislation and measures to >promote the construction of a railway network are also covered by >the bill. > >The New York Times on the Web >http://www.nytimes.com >I am servicing Walter Lippmann's Cuba lists while he is out of the country. >If you have any question or comment, please contact me. I will do my best >to keep the information about Cuba, Cuban issues, and US-Cuba relations >flowing. >If you have an article or other information that you think would be >appropriate for distribution, please pass it on to me. Thank you. > >For more information on Cuba, visit the >US Foreign Policy: Focus on Cuba web site ><http://www.la.mvla.net/lc.htm> > >Gary Bacon >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >-------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> >eLerts >It's Easy. It's Fun. Best of All, it's Free! >http://click.egroups.com/1/9699/0/_/_/_/973662454/ >---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> > >Post comments to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Send an email to subscribe: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To unsubscribe from this CubaNews group, send an email to: > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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